The Dream
by svu4life94
Summary: Normal is the dream. But can Olivia ever be normal? Can she really move on? I can't write a summary for my life.
1. Chapter 1

Just watched the live chat with the women of Olivia Pope and Associates. Anyway, if you didn't see it, they're adorable and I love the entire cast of Scandal. Just an idea that came to me today. My second attempt at a legit story. Reviews always appreciated.

"Good morning Liv." she heard as she opened her eyes to see her boyfriend bringing her breakfast in bed.

"Oh, you didn't need to do this," she answered blissfully, pulling him in for a kiss.

If you had told Olivia Pope six months ago that she'd ever wake up in the morning and see David Rosen's face, she would never have believed you. It was still a little amazing to her that she had ended up like this, in a normal relationship. But here she was.

It had all begun five months ago, only a few weeks after the president's sex tape came out and Olivia had left the white house behind. She and her team had taken on a client who was going to expose her boyfriend, who was being investigated by David, for racketeering. For once she and David were on the same side. They worked together to keep her client safe and put his criminal in prison. After the case was done, she and David went out for a drink. It seemed innocent enough at first. But after a few drinks, they both loosened up a little.

"You really are amazing Olivia Pope."

"Can't put all the credit on me. You wear the white hat. You get things done. I just make things go away"

They had continued to talk, when David unexpectedly asked Olivia out.

"You know Olivia, I think that you and I should maybe, I don't know, go out some time."

"Are you asking me on a date?"

"That depends on what you would say."

Olivia was going to turn him down. She was still reeling from the glimmer of hope of a life with Fitz. But then she remembered her words to Stephen. Normal was the dream. What was more normal than going on a date with a nice guy? So she took a leap.

"If you were asking me on a date, I wouldn't say no."

"How's Saturday?"

So they went on a date. And despite her reservations, she actually enjoyed herself. There was something nice about being able to go out to dinner. He brought her flowers. He made her laugh. So they went on a second date. And then a third. He knew she had been hurt, though not the specifics, so they took things slow. She was amazed to find out that there was a whole other side to David that she had never seen before. He wooed her. He called her when he said he would. He brought her roses. He respected her space and secrets. He held doors for her. He got along with her friends. He treated her with love and respect. Little by little, Olivia began to take down the walls she had build up.

On the fifth date, she finally let him stay the night at her apartment. He brought her coffee in the mornings. He made her feel safe and happy. It was a nice change for her to really build a relationship from the ground up. Their relationship had the foundation of friendship, and they built from there with mutual respect and trust. With Fitz, their beginning had been filed with frenzied passion and attempts at concealment. She and David would kiss in the street, and no one could have cared less. The first time she slept with Fitz, it had been lustful and passionate, but the only words were the infamous ones on his sex tape. The first time she slept with David, he told her she was beautiful and that cared about her. He was concerned first and foremost with her. In short, David was dependable, devoted, and faithful. Everything Fitz wasn't.

Yet despite the overwhelming approval from everyone she knew and the constant stream of, "I wish I had someone like that to love me," Olivia still had her doubts. She couldn't get Fitz out of her head. She would fall asleep every night dreaming of him, even when she was with David. He was sensible, sweet and dedicated, but there was never that boundless passion that she felt for Fitz. But she ignored it. That relationship was toxic and unreliable. What she needed was stability.


	2. Chapter 2

So I just heard the song Stay by Sugarland, and it kind of reminded me of the Olivia/Fitz relationship. Which meant I sat down and wrote Scandal fanfiction for an hour. Here's one of the results. Thanks for reading and reviewing. It means a lot to me.

"She's what?" Fitz was pacing around the oval office with enough rage to assume that country was on the verge of collapse. Cyrus had been successful in hiding Olivia's new relationship for almost six months. But he knew the president would eventually find out. Now he just had to figure out how to keep the President Of The United States from breaking anything.

"Mr. President, Olivia can date whomever she wants. I know this upsets you, but there's nothing you can do about it."

"You're right," the president said as he took another gulp of scotch, "there isn't a damn thing I can do to stop her."

He paused and thought for a moment.

"Cyrus, I want you to get me everything you can on this David Rosen."

"Are you sure that's a good idea sir?" Cyrus asked. Fitz just gave him an irritated look.

"Yes. Mr. President."

"Sorry I'm late. The traffic was horrible."

Olivia had just walked into the restaurant fifteen minutes late. As Stephen and Georgia sat at their table, David stood up and pulled out her chair.

"You look beautiful Liv."

"Thank you." she said smiling, giving him a kiss then sitting down. Even though they had been together for almost six months, it was still a welcomed surprise every time she realized that they had nothing to hide in public.

The two couples started talking and joking. Normal. So normal. But she had always wondered if she and Stephen could ever have that. Sure, he was engaged, and she was dating for the first time in years, but they were still the same people they were before. Seeing him with Georgia and knowing everything she knew about him, she wondered if it was selfish for him to marry Georgia. Georgia was normal. She deserved a normal life. David was normal too. Did that make Olivia selfish for being with him?

"Liv."

"What?" she answered, confused after being broken out of her deep thoughts.

"Dessert?"

She nodded. She could be introspective later. Right now, she would just allow herself be happy.

She was woken the next morning by the incessant ringing of a cell phone. She looked at her phone, but then realized it was David's.

"You have to wake up. Your phone's ringing." she said while slightly shaking him.

His eyes opened and he rolled over to answer the call.

"Hello?...Why are you calling me on a Saturday morning?…What?...Did they say why?...Okay...I'll be there in an hour…Thanks for telling me." He hung up the phone.

"What's wrong David?" she asked, rubbing his back, which had tensed up in the few minutes since he answered his phone.

"All my cases are being reviewed by the white house."

Olivia abruptly dropped her hands and David turned around to face her.

"Look, Liv, you know I don't pry and I let you keep certain things to yourself, but I need you to be straight with me. Did something happened between you and the president?"

Olivia was taken aback.

"What are you talking about?"

"Liv," he said sweetly, taking her hands, " It's only between you and me. I need to know. I love you Liv… Trust me. Please."


	3. Chapter 3

So I just rewatched the season finale and it gets getter every single time. Anyway, since this story actually got a few reviews, I decided to add another chapter of this one as opposed to the other one. Anyway, here it is. Reviews are appreciated.

* * *

"You have to leave soon," Olivia said, dropping his hands and averting her eyes, "I'll go make you some coffee."

And she rushed to his kitchen.

"Olivia. Come back here."

He turned her around as she was busying herself with coffee preparation and pulled her close.

"I love you Liv." he whispered in her ear.

She disengaged herself from his grasp.

"I have to go."

She headed to the bedroom and moments later walked past him dressed and already pressing buttons on her phone. All he could do was watch her walk away.

* * *

"Hello?"

"Cyrus. I need a meeting." Olivia said furiously.

"He's busy Liv."

"Not too busy to harass my boyfriend though. Tell him to make time."

And with that she hung up the phone.

* * *

She was livid. It would be one thing to go after her, to punish her for what had transpired between them. But it was certainly unfair to drag David in. As she continued on her way to the white house, her anger simmered, and by the time she reached the gates, it took all of her willpower to not take her seething anger out on everyone who passed her by.

As she made her way to the oval office, she had calmed down slightly.

"Mr. President." she said coldly as she walked in.

"Cyrus, give us the room." Fitz instructed Cyrus.

"No Cyrus. Stay. I want you both right here and I want you to listen."

Fitz looked slightly disappointed at his lost chance to be alone with Olivia, but Cyrus just shrugged and retreated back from the door. Now Fitz realized the days where he could get Olivia alone and merely kiss her to convince her to crawl right back to him were over.

"I do not want you two bothering David. I'm the one with the history here. Not him. Simply being my boyfriend," Fitz flinched at the word, " is not a legitimate reason to investigate him. And if you two continue pestering him without a reason, I will be forced to strike bad. And you know I will. Clear?"

"Crystal." Cyrus replied, concealing his joy. This obsession with Olivia was hurting the presidency and he hoped that now they could focus on more important things. Like reelection.

"Now you can leave Cyrus. I need a word alone with the president."

Cyrus left without another word. Now Olivia was ready to release her rage. She took a confident step towards the leader of the free world.

"You are acting like a _child _sir. We are _done_. I moved on. It's time you grow up. If not for my sake or your sake, then for the sake of your new baby. Congratulations on that by the way." Her angry tone had turned cordial. It was an involuntary reflex, her politeness to powerful people.

"Thank you. I'll pass that on to Mellie." He replied, his voice caught between amicability and annoyance. At that moment, he wasn't only a man in love hell-bent on revenge, but also a politician who was used to faking amity. He couldn't really come up with a response to the rest of her statement, because he knew she was right. He was acting like an upset teenager, not the president of his country. But he wasn't about to give her the satisfaction of admitting his wrong. Instead, he finally asked of her what he desperately needed her to answer.

"Look me in eyes and tell me you don't love me. Look me in the eyes and tell me you love him. Then I'll stop."

And so Olivia looked him straight in the eye and told him exactly what he asked.

"I love him, not you. Now leave him alone."

And with that she turned around and left.

Grant smiled, satisfied with himself. There was never any doubt for him as to what her answer would be. What he had needed was to see how she answered the question. While most people would see Olivia's ability to look him confidently in the eyes and give him her answer as a sign of her sincerity, he knew he better. She had a tell. It was subtle. Just a quick, almost unnoticeable, twitch of her lip. But he had seen it when she said she didn't love him and that she loved _him_. He knew she had lied to him. And the idea of her dishonesty had never brought him so much joy.


	4. Chapter 4

So I wrote this while listening to Secondhand Love by Cassadee Pope, who is awesome if you want to check out her new EP. Anyway, that song kind of puts me in an Olivia/Fitz mood (if you listen to the lyrics, a lot of them sound like them), which means this chapter probably makes less sense than it would. Also it's short. Sorry. I'm off to DC tomorrow, so I'll actually be posting nothing this weekend, for the first time in like 2 weeks. I really wrote too much at the top of these things. You can all just skip down to the story. Anyway, thank you so much to anyone reading this. Reviews make my crappy days at school so much better.

* * *

"So some agents came to my office today and told me that the review of my cases was a mistake and apologized for the inconvenience. You have anything to do with that?"

"I talked to some friends at the white house."

"That's not what I meant. Just because you ran out on me this morning doesn't mean that we don't need to talk Liv."

"You had a long day. Maybe I should go home."

"Liv," he pleaded, grabbing her arm lightly, "please."

She just looked at him expressionlessly. He wanted to fight her on this. He wanted her to trust him. But he could already see her slipping away. He was an enabler. He was enabling her to manipulate him. And even though she wasn't doing it maliciously, it still hurt. He wanted her to let him in, not jerk him around all the time-he wanted her to make a choice, not to give him false hope. He knew she was hiding something, but he was too smitten to really push. So he dropped it.

"You know what it doesn't matter how. Thank you Liv." It was a peace offering that she gladly accepted.

And just like that, things shifted back to the way they were. And as they cuddled up on the couch, watching a movie and eating take-out, it's like it had never mattered.

* * *

She didn't deserve any of this. That she was sure of. David was perfect. Any woman would kill for someone like him. She couldn't even look him in the eye and tell him the truth the one time he asked. He had been patient with her. He had allowed her to take things slowly. He never asked her for anything, but he still gave her everything. He let her keep all of her secrets to herself and never pushed her for more than she was willing to give. He always told her he loved her, while she could never repeat the words after seeing how badly they could be used against her. In short, he did everything exactly right. And she repaid him by running for the door the one time he asked for something in return. One day, she thought. One day she would tell him the truth. She would pay back all the times he put her first. One day…

* * *

It was 4:30 AM. She couldn't sleep that night. She should have known that seeing him again would do this to her. While David slept peacefully next to her, she just stared at the ceiling, willing the smug look on Fitz's face that afternoon to stop haunting her whenever she closed her eyes. As much as she tried to be happy, sometimes she wondered if she ever could be. Almost six months of moving on, and twenty minutes brought her right back to the dark place she had been before. Her first instinct was to go to Pope and Associates, do some work. Any work. But that's who she was. She fought the impulse, and instead squirmed herself in David's arms. She knew it would wake him. But right now, she wanted to feel settled. And even as he was waking up, looking over to make sure she was okay, she was already starting to slip into the oblivion of sleep.


	5. Chapter 5

Short little chapter just to get this story back on track. I actually have almost no idea where it's going, just how it ends. So I don't know how many more chapters I'll write. Anyway, reviews make my day.

* * *

"I need you."

"What happened? Do you need me to call my team?"

"Not you, Olivia Pope. You, Livi. My Livi."

"How many times do I have to tell you it's over? This call is highly inappropriate."

"Don't bullshit me Livi," he answered, sounding gravely serious, "I know you. I know you aren't sleeping. I know that when you make love to him, a part of you is always wishing he was me. I know that you don't love him. I know you want this as much as I do." he continued, his voice growing miserable and desperate, "I love you Livi. I-"

She couldn't take it anymore. She hung up the phone before he could finish. She had flinched with his every word, because she heard the truth and the desperation of them. And before she knew what hit her, she was crying. All the tears that she had suppressed for six months came pouring out in David's bathroom at 5:30 in the morning. She had known who was calling when she had chosen to pick up her phone. She didn't need to ask herself why. She already knew. She had just wanted-no_ needed_- to hear his voice. Even though she knew it would hurt. His every word pained her. His first words felt like he was stabbing a knife through her heart. His subsequent ones felt like the knife was being twisting slowly and sharply, causing as much pain as possible. His words were too true for her to ignore. So just cried while David slept peacefully just feet away.

* * *

At last, what felt like eons later. she had stopped crying. Unwilling to go out and face David just yet, she thought back to her question from dinner a few weeks earlier. Was she being selfish? It was exceedingly clear to her now that she had not completely moved on. She was still caught under Fitz's spell. But what she and David had was so… good. For the first time since she had met Fitz, she was able to sleep, if only for a few hours. David was the first light in the tunnel and he made her feel truly happy. Something she hadn't felt since she left the white house. She felt safe and content when she was with him. He gave her the stability she had craved with Fitz. He understood her. He respected her. She wondered why that wasn't enough. Why she still took the president's call in the early morning hours. Why she couldn't just let go. She wanted to give David something better. She wanted to give him something comparable to what he gave her. But she didn't know if she could bring herself to let go of either man.

* * *

She was finally ready to face him. Bur first, there was one thing she had to do. She quickly typed the number that the president had called her from into her list of blocked numbers. Then, she closed the phone and returned to bed. She thought she had made her choice.


	6. Chapter 6

So I have no idea where I'm going with this story. But I did want to put in something about Abby and Stephen, since I feel like they're the closest people to Olivia. Also, I know how this ends, but I have no idea how many chapters I want to write. Thank you to everyone who reviews. It brings me joy as I avoid studying for finals.

* * *

It was time for them to start over with a clean slate. She was determined to be honest with him and make this work. After treating him to coffee, sex, and breakfast, Olivia sat David down to tell him the truth.

"Before I met you, I had an affair with a married man. It's why I left the white house. It's why it's been so hard for me to trust you. The affair ended a few weeks before you and I started dating. I should have turned you down, because I wasn't over him. But I didn't. And in spite of everything I still felt for him, I really fell for you David. But it wasn't fair to you, because even though he hurt me so badly, I was still in love with him. I'm telling you this because I want you to know that I'm letting myself trust you. I'm tired of letting him hold me back. I want you. I want this. I'm tired of the secret, the lies, the instability. I just want you."

It was one of the hardest things Olivia had ever had to say. Not as hard as telling Fitz goodbye, but still hard. She felt vulnerable and exposed. But most of all, she felt afraid. Afraid of being hurt, afraid that he would ask her again about Fitz. But for the first time in their relationship, Olivia was willing to put those feelings aside.

Instead of trying to formulate a response, David pulled Olivia in for a lengthy kiss, attempting to convey his love for her without words. This is all he had been waiting for. She was finally taking a leap. She was finally taking a step forward, toward him. But there was one thing he still needed to know.

"Was it the president?"

She knew it was coming, but she had hoped he might just be forget it.

"Of course not." she replied with a smile, showing no trace of her deceit.

Yes, she had wanted to begin again with honesty. But it was a start. Maybe one day she would tell him the truth. But for now, she let the lie prevail. She didn't think it would hurt them in the long run. If she only knew…

* * *

"Well you look happy," Abby remarked, smiling, as Olivia walked into work Monday morning.

Olivia was normally the first person in and the last out. But today she strolled in right on time, only beating Harrison.

"That's because I am happy."

It was clear to all of her friends that something had changed in Olivia. They had never seen her walk into the building smiling before. They were all able to see that David was the reason for Olivia's joy. And for that they were extremely grateful. Olivia had saved all of them when they were at their worst. They all felt she deserved the best. She deserved to feel happy for once.

As a new client walked in, they began to work. Although Olivia traded her smile for her typical driven expression, her bliss was palpable.

There couldn't be anyone more excited about Olivia's relationship than Abby. Olivia had been her best friend for a long time, and Abby had witnesses her suffering over the past few years. Though she didn't know the exact situation, she could spot the signs of a toxic relationship easily and was thrilled when she saw Olivia start to move on. There was no one Abby wished would be happy more than Olivia.

Stephen, on the other hand, knew the entire situation. And although he was the one who coerced her into leaving the president, he didn't really believe she had really moved on. He loved Olivia with all of his heart, and he knew how deeply she was in love with the president. He didn't believe she could sustain this bliss. Just as she had known he and Georgia would break off their engagement, he knew that Olivia's fairy tale couldn't last. What he couldn't figure out was if he should spoil her joy over what was to come.

Olivia had saved Huck's life, which led him to an extreme protectiveness over her. He would never think that anyone could be worthy of Olivia Pope. Harrison and Quinn were equally happy that their savior was finally experiencing some of the good she deserved.

As for Olivia, she was on cloud nine. She barely thought of _him _anymore. She loved this feeling of freedom from _him_. Sometimes she thought she loved the feeling more than the man who was the reason for it. Regardless, there was something almost… normal about her life now. In the two months since that late night call from the president, she had finally started settling into the dream. And right now, she never wanted to wake up. The funny thing is, sometimes dreams can turn into nightmares in the blink of an eye.


	7. Chapter 7

So here's another chapter. SEASON 1 COMES OUT ON DVD TODAY! So I decided to write this instead of studying for my finals. Reviews always appreciated.

* * *

She was alone when the breaking news update flashed her television screen. She often watched the news to scope out new clients, when she actually had time. This usually meant she couldn't avoid the president's face, but she had gotten over that pretty quickly. But this…this made her pay attention. She started to feel sick to her stomach.

Jordan Christian Grant, born only a few hours earlier.

It had been her idea. She had seen how well Mellie could use a pregnancy before, and she thought it was the perfect way to draw up sympathy and trust from the American people. And it had worked. It was some of her best work in fact.

She knew this was coming. But somehow the reality of it had still shocked her. She thought she would be able to handle it, but she was already beginning to break down. She was glad that she was at least alone in her own apartment. She had been spending more and more time here while David was busy working on a big case. Or at least that was the excuse. Things had been so intense for the past four months, with Olivia spending most of her time at his place, and she needed a break. Before this counterfeiting case she had been feeling the pressure from David to fully move in. He didn't say anything, of course, but she could tell he didn't like her desire to "be independent" and "spend time on her own." She couldn't figure out why the idea bothered her so much. She was barely even at her own place anymore, and she definitely saw a future with David. But she still loved the idea of her own space, where she could be alone. She liked having backup plans. She didn't got into anything without knowing what she would do when it fell apart.

* * *

When she had said she felt sick to her stomach, she didn't mean in a metaphorical sense. In fact, the second the station finished playing the president's statement from outside the hospital, Olivia sprinted to her bathroom and fell to the floor, throwing up and crying. It was just the physical expression of the way he made her feel. It felt like a lifetime, curled up on that cold tile floor. She eventually returned to her place on the couch, shivering and suddenly exhausted. When she wasn't with David, thoughts of Fitz still kept her awake, and it finally occurred to her how little sleep she had gotten over the past two weeks. It was only 7, but she needed the rest. But there was one thing she needed to do before she could sleep.

"Hey David."

"Are you okay Olivia? Is something wrong?"

"No. Just tired."  
"Alright. What's up?"

"I just… needed to hear your voice. I miss you."


	8. Chapter 8

So I have officially run out of ways to stall the inevitable end of this story. There will probably be another two chapters before I finish. Thanks to everyone who's read this story. I really appreciate the reviews. Enjoy:

* * *

She was starting to see the cycle of her relationship with David. They started out happy. Then he would push for a step further, toward the traditional marriage and family he wanted. She would pull away and sulk. Then she would hear something about Fitz, feel horrible and call David. She would fall desperately into his arms and renew his hopes. Then everything would go well again. They weren't even creative about it. It was the adult version of the break up and make up relationships she remembered from high school. This process had been repeating for the past year, but somehow Olivia only began to see it now. The shift from one of their good periods to another conflict was rapidly approaching. Abby and Stephen could tell, every time, but she had been blind. Why this had only occurred to her now, at 3:30 in the morning while David continued to sleep beside her, she didn't know. Either way, she realized that no matter how hard she tried, Fitz would always be present in their relationship- a wall that forever separated them, a lie she couldn't bear to correct.

* * *

Surprisingly, the final blow to their relationship, the reason it went up in flames, wasn't about the president at all, but a client. In a way, it kind of made sense. For all Olivia's devotion to her romantic entanglements with the president, she was most devoted to her work. Two days earlier, a thirty year old woman walked into Olivia's office and asked for her help. She had killed the eighty six year old pediatrician that had molested her as a child. The police had already begun turning the media, and therefore the public, against her, which severely hurt her chances of getting a sympathetic jury. Olivia immediately accepted the case, though pretended to have a vote anyway. Nothing was black and white to Olivia, and this case fell into a gray area. David, on the other hand, saw everything as black and white, right or wrong, with no middle ground. It was his case to prosecute and he was dead set on a life sentence. This case, and the viewpoints that went along with it, created a lot of tension between Olivia and David.

"You really believe she was wrong? After what he did to her?"

"Yes Olivia, I do. She _murdered _him. Twenty years after she last saw him. She made a plan, she tracked him down, and went to his home with the intent to kill him and she did. Murder is murder. She had other options, but she chose to kill. I don't know how you can see that as right."

Their screaming was so loud it was irritating David's neighbors.

"You know what," Olivia responded angrily, "I'm going home."

She turned around and began to storm off when David grabbed her wrist, turned her back around and pleaded.

"Don't go. We shouldn't discuss the case anyway."

She pulled her hand away.

"We'll talk tomorrow. I'm going home."

And she left.

* * *

What was that ringing? Olivia had just fallen asleep, and she was suddenly woken up by the incessant ringing of her phone. Did David really think 2:30 AM was the best time to apologize or proselytize or whatever he wanted to do?

"Hello?" she said, still not fully awake.

"Hello Livi."

Instantly, she was completely awake. She knew that voice anywhere, and it was not David's.


	9. Chapter 9

I just got my Scandal Season 1 DVD from Amazon today, so I've been having a marathon. I forgot how much I love this show. And how much I'll miss HIC. But anyway, I got inspired. Second to last chapter:

* * *

Olivia can't breathe. She physically feels her throat constricting. It takes minutes before she can answer. He has that effect on her.

"How… how did you get through? I blocked this number."

Deep breaths. In and out. Trying to keep herself calm.

"Livi, the CIA can intercept any international phone call, anywhere in the world. You don't think I can't ask them how to get through to you." he answered, seemingly amused by the effect he knew he had on her.

"What do you want?" she asked icily.

"I want you to come back to the white house." he answered, his voice softening.

"I have my own crises to manage now. I can't just drop everyone and run back to my old job." _And to you._

"Not full time. Just sometimes, so I could see you. Mellie doesn't care, as long as we're discrete. I miss you Livi. I need you with me. I know you feel it too. You need me just as much as I need you sweet baby."

When he said "sweet baby," she snapped. The name still brought back memories of betrayal and of happier times, before she left the white house.

"I can't deal with this right now. I need to think."

_I want to so badly. _

"Does that mean you're considering coming back?"

He had of course picked up on her lack of refusal.

"I need to think about it. I can't deal with this right now."

"I love you Livi. Always." he responded before hanging up.

She couldn't believe she admitted that she was considering his proposal. It was despicable. She had David, and he had Mellie and their new baby. Yet somehow, the idea of returning to him still tempted her. She tried to tell herself that her feelings were merely a side effect of her fight with David. She and David didn't fight, so it would logically cause her some distress. But she knew that wasn't it. He did seem to have a talent for finding her when her relationship with David was at its lowest. Either way, she knew, deep down inside, that her desire to accept was not based on David at all, but on her lingering feelings for the leader of the free world.

She had too much going on. She couldn't think about Fitz right then. She needed to figure out herself first.

* * *

"David."

"Liv."

They just stood there in silence, neither one wanted to face the inevitable. There was so much understood between the two of them, yet so much left to say.

"I'm sorry Olivia. I shouldn't have let this go on so long. I should have ended it. I shouldn't have pressured you so much. But I thought I could make you forget him. I should have known better."

"Why are you sorry? You were in this, 100%. I was the one who should be sorry. I shouldn't have led you on for so long."

"But I knew you couldn't bring yourself to break it off. I should have loved you enough to let you go."

"Stop being nice to me. I don't deserve it. You should be furious at me. I used you and I let you believe I was over him. I lied to you. You deserve better."

"Don't say that Liv. You **are** the best. And that's what you deserve. Don't ever forget that. You deserve to be happy. And if he's what makes you happy, who am I to hold you back? Just remember, you shouldn't have to settle- not with me and not with him. You're better than that."

A few tears had slipped down her cheeks and she could see that David was making his best efforts not to cry as he let her go. He put his arms around her, and for a while they just stood there silently, clinging onto each other, while she cried into his shoulder. Finally, she pulled away. They shared one last kiss.

"I love you enough to let you go. So go Liv."

And with that, she made her way to the white house.


	10. Chapter 10

So this is the last chapter. Thanks to everyone who read and reviewed. I hope you enjoy the ending. I rewrote it two or three times. Hopefully, I did justice to these amazingly complex characters. Anyway, let me know what you think.

* * *

"You came."

"You knew I would."

Olivia paused, still trying to decide on her words. She thought she knew what she was going to say, but somehow, seeing him made every plan disappear. They were standing at the edge of the oval office, out of the view of the cameras. Fitz had informed Cyrus that unless there was a national emergency, there were to be no interruptions. She had all the time she needed. Yet somehow, it didn't seem enough for all she had to say. After minutes of silence, she still had no idea what she wanted to say, or what she had decided. So she settled on the truth.

"You were right. I couldn't love David. He and I are over. Friends. Nothing more. I tried to use him to get over you and it didn't work. Because I'm not over you. I never really left. No matter what I said, it wasn't really leaving. I love you, and I think I always will."

He took a step closer to her, but she placed her palm firmly on his chest to stop his advancement. She wasn't done.

"But, I can't do this anymore. I have to leave-_really leave_- this time."

"Livi, I know you're trying to protect me and make me a better man. But I…"

"No Fitz. Before, I left for you. But now, I'm leaving for me."

David's words were ringing in her head. She deserved the best. She shouldn't have to settle.

"I want all of you Fitz, not just some of the pieces. I can't keep giving all of myself to you and only getting little bits of you in return."

"You have all of me Livi." he replied desperately, taking her hand.

"No. I don't. I'm tired of sharing you with Mellie and the… Amandas in your life. I have to stop thinking that's all I'm worth." she replied as she pulled her hand out of his, "I have to do what's best for me. You can't give me what I need. I won't sneak around with you when Mellie's not looking and come when you call and decide that you need me. It makes me feel too cheap. I'm tired of falling to pieces and lying and crying over you all of the time. I can't keep doing this to myself."

"So this is it then? You're leaving and not coming back?" he asked sadly.

"For now, yes. I will always love you Fitz. And maybe when this," she responded, gesturing around to the oval office, "is all over, then we can be together. I don't know what the future will be. But what I do know is that, right now, I have to do what's best for me. And the best thing for me is to leave."

"I love you Livi."

"I know. But sometimes love isn't enough. I wish it was. But it isn't."

Once again, there was silence. This time, she was content to let him make his own choice.

"I understand…. And I'm sorry. You're right. You deserve better. And right now, I can't give you anything better. One day…" he let the implication of his words hang in the air as they stood in silence, gazing into each other's eyes. As much as he wanted to fight with everything he had for Olivia, he knew he had to let her go, at least for now.

"Goodbye Mr. President."

She quickly kissed his cheek and left the white house. She wouldn't come back.

* * *

She thought she would be upset. Or afraid. But she felt strangely at peace. She didn't know what the future would bring. Maybe she and Fitz would one day be together. Maybe she would find someone else. Or maybe she would end up alone. But for the first time, she was okay with not knowing. She was Olivia Pope. She was smart, strong, and independent. She needed to find those pieces of herself again, because her relationship with Fitz had weakened them. She was ready to find happiness in herself and her friends and her work again, not in David or Fitz. She could already feel the change. She knew in her gut she had made the right decision. She trusted her gut. Right now she decided to take joy in dinner and drinks with Abby and Stephen. Maybe this was the dream. Not normality. Just living her life on her own terms and enjoying every moment.


End file.
